Big bounce-back season for Virginia ends with plenty of bumps down the stretch, especially in bowl

After seven weeks of building momentum and optimism with a surprising 6-1 run, this conclusion to the season wasn’t exactly what Virginia was looking for heading into the offseason.

In its last two games against Virginia Tech and Auburn, U.Va. was outscored 81-24, taking steps back on defense that had to leave defensive coordinator Jim Reid scratching his head, and showing weaknesses on special teams that likely made special teams coordinator Anthony Poindexter fume.

With all the breakdowns in the last two games, U.Va. coach Mike London had a right to rant and rave at his team after Saturday night’s 43-24 loss to Auburn in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. Instead, he wanted his players to look forward.

“We don’t want to feel like this again next year,” said U.Va. running back Perry Jones, who led the team with seven catches for 90 yards against Auburn. “That’s one of the things coach London said. Just remember this feeling, because when it’s time to prepare for next season and going into workouts – just remember this feeling, and it’ll make you work even harder. I think it’s really going to boost us into next season.”

Jones, a junior, is one of the offensive players who had to feel most dejected by the way things turned out down the stretch.

He finished the season with 915 rushing yards, leaving him short of becoming the first U.Va. running back to have 1,000-plus yards in a season since 2004 when Alvin Pearman had 1,037 yards. Pearman remains the only U.Va. back in the last 11 seasons to have at least 1,000 yards rushing in a season.

In U.Va.’s last three games, he had 22 carries combined for just 59 yards, including eight carries for 32 yards against Auburn. His struggles coincided with a team running game that failed to produce in the final three games the way it had for most of the season.

U.Va. had 123 rushing yards against Auburn, which was below the Cavaliers’ average of 162.1 yards per game, but actually the high water mark for the Cavaliers in the last three games. U.Va. had 78 yards Nov. 19 in a 14-13 win at Florida State, and just 30 yards Nov. 26 in a 38-0 loss to Tech.

U.Va. senior wide receiver Kris Burd (six catches for 103 yards and two touchdowns; he only had one touchdown reception in the regular season) also didn’t get to go out exactly the way he had hoped, missing most of the fourth quarter due to what he described as a collarbone injury. He said after the game he’ll have the injury re-evaluated in Charlottesville.

Despite the outcome in the bowl, quarterback Michael Rocco will have a lot of positives to reflect upon. He completed 26 of 41 passes for a career-high 312 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.

His passing, and the protection of an offensive line that contributed to U.Va. giving up just one sack, helped the Cavaliers convert 8 of 13 third downs. He was 7 of 10 passing for 74 yards and a touchdown on third down.

The problem was U.Va. simply couldn’t finish drives in the early going. It scored just seven points on its first four drives, punting the ball twice (including getting one blocked) and fumbling the ball away at its own 32 on another drive.

“I just think some of the drives early on where we didn’t get touchdowns really hurt us,” said U.Va. offensive coordinator Bill Lazor, whose unit still put up 435 yards – its seventh game with 400-plus yards this season (last time U.Va. had more 400-plus yard games was in ’04, when it had eight). “I think the most frustrating part is that I think we easily could have (scored touchdowns).”

While failing to put points on the board obviously put U.Va. in a bind, the special teams and defense created most of the problems. Poindexter will likely take a long hard look at his punting game, which will feature a new punter next season with Jimmy Howell set to graduate.

Howell was blocked twice against Auburn – once on a quick rugby-style attempt (which seemed ill-advised with his heels nearly up against the back of the end zone) and once on a conventional-style punt in which Auburn brought one more man from the edge than U.Va. could block. The blocks resulted in nine points, including a touchdown-scoring drive after the first block and a safety as a direct result of the second block.

On Auburn’s onside kick recovery in the second quarter, it looked like U.Va. simply got caught unprepared. Kicker Cody Parkey had a perfect bubble of blocking formed around him on the kick, creating an easy opportunity for him to scoop up his own kick after it bounced and rolled 11 yards. London said after the game U.Va. was hoping to add in its own onside kick wrinkle, but never had the chance to the right opportunity to do it.

Auburn finished with 454 yards, including 273 yards rushing – both of which were season-highs against U.Va. The last time a team finished with more yards against U.Va. was Nov. 6, 2010, when Duke rolled up 489 yards in a 55-48 win against the Cavaliers. Eastern Michigan was the last team to finish with more rushing yards against U.Va., amassing 290 yards Oct. 23, 2010 in a 48-21 win by the Cavaliers.

Auburn’s misdirection with running backs Onterio McCalebb and Tre Mason and backup quarterback Kiehl Frazier leading the way seemed to have U.Va.’s defense, which was depleted by the absences of starting linebacker Steve Greer and starting cornerback Chase Minnifield (both due to knee injuries), running in circles.

“(Auburn’s offense) was definitely unique,” said U.Va. cornerback Dom Joseph, who filled in for Minnifield. “They have a talented team to execute it. The tempo of the game was really quick, and they were able to capitalize on all their opportunities.”

Coming into the game, U.Va. was giving up 12.7 plays of 10-plus yards per game. Auburn finished with 15 plays that fit into that category, including 10 in the second half. Six of Auburn’s plays went for 20-plus yards, which was over U.Va.’s season average of 4.4 such plays entering the evening.

McCalebb’s 60-yard run in the second quarter was the longest run ever given up by U.Va. in a bowl. Four of Auburn’s pass plays went for 20-plus yards, including a 50-yard completion from backup quarterback Barrett Trotter to wide receiver Emory Blake in the second quarter against freshman cornerback Demetrious Nicholson that helped set up Auburn’s third touchdown of the game.

With Greer and Minnifield out (Minnifield’s absence also limited what U.Va. was able to do in its nickel package), and with key backup defensive end Billy Schautz missing due to a broken leg suffered against FSU, U.Va. defensive coordinator Jim Reid decided to get a little creative up front against Auburn.

“It wasn’t a great couple of week here, you know?” said Reid regarding all the recent defensive injuries.

For most of the season, U.Va.’s starting defensive front consisted of senior tackles Nick Jenkins and Matt Conrath and ends Jake Snyder and Cam Johnson. Against Auburn, U.Va. went with its normal starting foursome, but Reid later shifted Conrath to end, where he played his first two seasons at U.Va.

Lafayette High graduate Will Hill, who worked in a three-man rotation at defensive tackle with Conrath and Jenkins for most of the season, got more reps at tackle in Conrath’s place. Even with the wrinkles up front, U.Va. had trouble combating Auburn’s running game, which Reid said after the game included more belly plays (with Frazier keeping the ball) than he anticipated.

“They’re a very good edge running team,” Reid said. “We thought Matt would be a little bit bigger and stronger on the edge. Another reason (for the defensive line shifts) is we didn’t have Billy.”

While the losses at the end of the slate served as downers for what was an otherwise positive season, U.Va. will have plenty to look forward to heading into the offseason. U.Va. has 12 starters returning next season, including seven on offense.

“At the end of the day, we had a successful season and helped make Virginia football relevant again,” said Joseph, a senior. “It’s up to the young guys to keep it going.”